Social Casinos

You may have heard the term before, but most people are unfamiliar with the idea of social casinos, or social gambling. We’ll clear everything up, not only answering the question of “what is a social casino?”, but also looking at why they exist and the reason so many people convert from social to online casinos.

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What Are Social Casinos?

When you use social media – popularly Facebook – to play any casino game, that’s a social casino. They are played without genuine stakes (aka are played for free) and are marketed as being purely for enjoyment of the games themselves, not the risk-and-reward rush of betting real money.

There’s no “objective” other than trying to win the jackpot and boost your number of coins, and that’s the major appeal to many users. Like any other free platform game, social casinos offers players the chance to feign the adrenaline of the real-life scenario, and it has become exceptionally popular.

Is It For You?

The trouble with social casinos is that, while the risk is removed, the thrill of victory is also a hollow thing. If you’ve played proper online casino and enjoyed it, you might struggle with the one-dimensional nature of social gambling.

Pros

Free to play

No financial risk

Play against your friends (table games only)

New players can get used to gambling without the financial loss

Large, growing games selection

Cons

Low-quality slot machines, compared to online casino

Can’t win real cash

Various add-ons and in-game purchases start adding up

Single-player slot games aren’t actually sociable

How to Get Started with Social Gambling

The first thing you need to do is decide which social media platform you want to use. For most people, this will be Facebook – we spend half of our lives scrolling down its main feed, so adding your social games there makes sense.

After a quick Google search, you can find lists full of games available on your chosen medium. Visit their homepage and you’ll be able to download the game. As long as you’re logged into Facebook you’ll be able to access the game and play wherever and whenever you want.

For specific social casinos, consider checking out:

Double Down Casino

Slotomania

Jackpot Party Casino

Zynga Poker

High 5 Casino

They’re all fairly established, reputable options where you can experiment and see if you and social casino are a good fit. If you read different reviews you’ll get a broader idea of the selection out there, and it’s only getting bigger.

Social Vs Online Casinos

There are a few key differences between social and online casinos:

Online casinos have no association with social media.

Games are expertly designed by veteran casino software developers.

Online casinos are played with real money.

As you can tell, they’re fairly chalk and cheese. The main point that sticks out for us is the quality of gaming. If you’re playing with a regulated, licensed casino, then they will undoubtedly have put in the effort to buy games from reputable developers, which means the gaming experience will be above anything you could expect from a social casino.

The unique selling point of social casino is that it doesn’t cost any money – you can bet virtual currency and win or lose by it. The vast majority of online casinos also do this. So-called free games, or demos, are exact replicas of the normal game with virtual coins instead of real ones.

Many Players Eventually Cross the Divide

For a number of social casino players, the excitement dulls with time. A 10,000-coin jackpot isn’t a life-changing reward, just a prolonging of the game. It’s not uncommon for players to be curious about the superior gaming quality of proper online casinos – from there, it’s a small step to take on a no deposit bonus1 and try playing with real money to be won!

Best Online Casinos for Converts

If you’ve been quietly deliberating a switch to online casino and are ready to dip your toes, then we have a few recommendations to help you choose a well-regulated and enjoyable casino. Mr Green, Leo Vegas and Spin Palace are all great slot casinos, but you can read all of our brand reviews to get a detailed look at all of our casinos.

Conclusion

There’s an obvious appeal to social casinos: they allow you to play with your friends on your favourite social platform, and you don’t actually lose any money if things go pear shaped. However, the stakes can grow a bit more stale over time and online casino is a very suitable option for anyone who wants to up the adrenaline. Even playing with penny stakes is exciting, because there’s real money on the line.

For all that, social casino is quite fun. If that’s enough for you, then enjoy it – if you want a superior gaming experience (even using the free games), then look to online casino.